Razor blade holder



Sept. 8, 1936. T. A. NICHOLS RAZOR BLADE HOLDER Filed Oct. 30,

1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l Town 6821a? 5/2 Mahala.

Sept. 8, 1936. T. A. NICHOLS RAZOR'BLADE HOLDER Filed Oct. 50', 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES.

RAZOR BLADE HOLDER Townsend A. Nichols, Oskaloosa, Kans. Application October 30, 1934, Serial No. 750,683

4 Claims.

This invention is a holder for safety razor blades and is intended primarily for use while the blade is being sharpened or honed. The invention also provides means whereby the blade-clamping members of the holder will be firmly locked to gether. The several objects of the invention are attained in such a device as is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and the invention resides in certain novel features which will be hereinafter first fully described and then more particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figures 1 and 2 are plan views showing opposite sides of the device, some parts being broken away and other parts being shown in section.

Figure 3 is a similar view with the parts of the bladeholder separated. Figure 4 is an enlarged section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1 v Figure 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged section on the line 6 --6 01' Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of the handle lock.

Figure 8 is a plan View, partly in section, of the complete device.

Figure 9 is an enlarged view on the line 9-:9

of Figure 8.

In carrying out the present invention, there is edge safety razor blade. The extension 3 is ofiset,

as shown at 4, and the material is then extended, as shown at 5, to provide a plate upon which the razor blade 6 is placed when it is to be secured in the holder. The plate 5 is provided with an extension or tongue 1 at one end and at its opposite end is formed with a resilient lip 8 which is reversely bent so as to extend across the end of the blade, as clearly shown in Figure 6, and this resilient lip is offset between its end and its bight, as shown at 9 in Figure 6, whereby it will readily accommodate blades of difierent thicknesses and will not prevent the edge of the blade from resting properly on a hone, and the tip may be beveled on its under side to facilitate the entrance of a blade thereunder. Along the upper or inner surface of the plate 5 there is placed a mark, indicated at [0, which may be a fine groove or scratch coated with coloring matter so as toprovide a contrast with the surface of the plate and so located that when 5 a safety razor blade is in proper position for honing, the openings I l, which are formed along the medial longitudinal line of the blade, will be centered upon this line, as shown in Figure 3. This mark, consequently, provides an efiicient. guide for 10 properly positioning the blade and securing it in such position that the proper proportion of the edgev will project in order that when it is applied to a strop or hone it will have the proper angle to produce the bevel necessary to define the proper keen cutting edge. This result is also facilitated by the cylinder l which forms the back of the blade holder, the parts being so related that 1 when the device is applied to a strop or a hone, the projecting side of the cylinder will rest upon 20 the hone or strop and thereby cause the blade, also resting at its edge upon the strop or home, to assume the inclination or tilt which will form the proper bevel at the cutting edge. At thatend edge of the portion 3 of the holder which is immediately adjacent the blade-engaging latch or tongue 8, there is an extension I2 which has a formation similar to the tongue 8 so as to produce an overlapping projection I3 which is designed to cooperate with the handle member of the device 30 and has its edge more remote from the cylinder I turned downwardly to form a lip I 4, as shown most clearly in Figure 4. The end of the tongue I3 is cut diagonally, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and its inner surface is beveled up to the point 35 to easily receive the part that is to be engaged thereunder, as best seen in Fig. 4. The handle member of-the holder includes a shank l5 from which extends a blade-engaging or gripping member having a pressed upedge it which is adapted to overlie the ledge or lip 2 on the cylinder when the parts are in assembled relation. Immediately adjacent the lip I6, the handle member is formed with a portion I 11 corresponding to the portion 3 of thefirst described member and the outer edge 45 portion of theblade-engaging'part constitutes a plate l8 which-is adapted to 'lie on the blade and mate with the plate 5, as clearly shown in Figure 4. The plate 18 is formed with a notch I9 at its free end which will engage and span the tongue 8 when the parts are together so that relative twisting movement of the handle member will be resisted, and at the opposite end of the plate I8 a recess or shoulder -20 is formed in. the laterally expanded portion of the shank to receive the tongue 1 on the plate 5 and thereby maintain the parts in proper relation. The shank also is formed with an extension or tongue 2| which, when the parts are assembled, will project over the ofl-set portion 3 of the holder member, one edge of this tongue bearing against the side of the cylinder 1 and the opposite edge being rolled, as indicated at 22 in Figure 2, whereby it will engage over the bend or ofif-set 4 in the lower member, thereby further aiding in maintaining the parts in the proper relation. The end of the tongue 2| has the same formation as the end of the tongue l3 to facilitate the entrance of an engaged part thereunder. Upon reference to Figures 4 and 9, it will be noted that the counterpart formation of the plates 3 and I1 provides a space between them which will accommodate single edge blades having a thickened back edge, and it will also be noted that the lip M on the side of the tongue 13 engages the bend in the plate I! so that it cooperates with the tongue 2! to resist relative rocking movement of the parts.

A guard 23 is pivoted to the shank l5 and may be swung around over the blade when the device is not in use or may be extended from the shank for convenience in grasping the shank when the device is to be applied to a hone or a strop for sharpening the razor. If the guard be made to fit snugly, it may be partly closed to cover and protect the blade, which is sometimes desirable. It will be readily noted from what has been said that the device is very simple and compact, may be easily assembled, and when assembled will very firmly grip the blade so that it will not be dis-' placed when being used for any purpose.

A lock element is provided to prevent accidental separation of the handle and blade-holding members, when the blade is used for ripping seams, cutting paper or for other work involving end- 4o'flwise movement, and positively resists relative endwise separation of the parts. This locking member is shown clearly in Figure '7 and consists of a resilient strap 24 having one end turned laterally, as shown at 25, and formed with a slight tooth or lug 26 on its inner surface. The opposite end of the strap is expanded laterally, as shown at 21, and has one side edge formed with a lip or flange 28 which is adapted to engage against the back of the shank I5, as shown in Figure 1, said lip or flange being slightly curved to conform to and engage over the edge of the shank. The inner end of the lip 28 is, in turn, slightly expanded, as shown at 29, and a notch 38 is formed between said expanded terminal and the strap 24, as clearly shown. At its edge remote from the lip 28, the strap has a lug or tooth 3| formed thereon which is adapted to engage over the front edge of the shank, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. When the lock is in place the main portion or strap 24 extends along the outer face of the off-set portion 3 of the blade-supporting member with one edge abutting the cylinder I, as shown clearly in Figure 2, the free end 29 of the lip 28 entering the end of the cylinder, as shown in Figure l, with the notch 30 fitting around the end edge of the cylinder. The lip 25 will spring over the bend E2 of the blade-supporting member and the lug 26 will fit against the side notch defined by and between the ledge 2 and the portion 3 so that relative movement of the lock will be prevented. It will be noted, particularly upon reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, that the shank I5 is laterally expanded to merge into the slidable extensions l6, I1 and I8, and the tooth 7 31 engages the shank at the base of the expanded of said bend and may enter the,

portion so that the blade-supporting member and the handle member are locked together against endwise movement by and between the tooth 3| and the lip 25.

When the device is to be used in honing or stropping the blade, it is manipulated in the usual manner for honing and stropping an ordinary razor blade. To remove the locking member, the lip 25 must be first released by lateral pressure thereon permitting it to spring over and ride upon the portion 3 of the blade-supporting member and it may then be slid along the shank until the head 29 has been Withdrawn from the cylinder whereby it may be easily released from the shank. To apply the locking member it is first sprung onto the shank and then pushed forward until the head 29 has entered the end of the cylinder and the lip 25 has sprung over the end of the member [2. To engage a blade-gripping member with the blade, the blade is first placed upon the plate 5 with one edge under the ledge 2 and one end under the latch 8 and this engagement is best efiected by first inserting the end of the blade under the latch and then rocking the blade into position to rest upon the plate 5. The handle member is then slid endwise over the blade with its lip or edge 16 extending over and sliding upon the ledge 2, the notch 19 sliding into engagement with the latch 8 and the adjacent end portion of the gripping member riding under the tongue l3. As the parts reach the fully assembled position, the extension I will engage in the socket 20 and the tongue 2| will ride under and engage the portion 3 of the blade supporting member so that the blade will be firmly gripped and will not be easily dislodged during the stropping or honing operations or during its use for any other purpose.

When the blade-gripping members are to be separated, a reverse operation is, of course, performed but the blade will not drop at once from the blade supporting member, inasmuch as it will be held by the latch 8 and will not be released until positively withdrawn which is best accomplished by rocking the blade upon said latch as a pivot or fulcrum.

The device may be carried in a case or container which will be constructed to also hold a small hone and strop.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: I

1. A razor blade holder comprising a bladesupporting member including a cylinder slotted along one side, said cylinder having at one side of the slot a plate to support the blade and at the other side of the slot having a longitudinal ledge overlying the blade, a handle member having an edge portion to slide upon the ledge in overlying relation thereto and having an edge plate portion to rest upon the blade, a socket at one end of said handle member, a tongue at the corresponding end of the blade supporting member to enter 1 said socket, a resilient lip at the opposite end of the blade-supporting member to straddle and grip the blade, the handle member being provided with a notch to engage said resilient lip whereby the two members will be held against transverse movement, and a locking member extending longitudinally upon the handle member with one end portion abutting outer ends of the two members and its other end portion straddling the handle member and engaging the adjacent end of the blade supporting member.

2. A razor blade holder comprising a bladesupporting member, a handle member slidable endwise on the blade-supporting member to rest upon and grip a blade resting on the blade-supporting member, tongues at one end of the bladesupporting member to engage over the end of the handle member, and a tongue formed on the handle member to engage under the corresponding end of the blade-supporting member, said last-mentioned tongue abutting at one side a portion of the blade supporting member whereby the members will be maintained in blade-gripping relation.

3. A razor blade holder comprising a bladesupporting member having a cylinder formed along one side edge and having a blade-supporting plate at its opposite side portion, a handle member adapted to slide upon the blade-supporting member to rest upon the blade and hold it to the blade-supporting member, inter-engaging elements on said members to maintain them in blade-gripping relation, and a locking member consisting of a resilient strap provided at one end with a tongue adapted to extend across the edges of the members and at its opposite end with resilient elements to engage the opposite edges of the handle member and a tongue to enter the cylindrical portion of the blade-supporting member whereby endwise separation of the parts will be prevented.

4. A razor blade holder comprising a blade supporting member having a split tubular portion along one side, a clamping member for holding a blade against the blade supporting member with one edge portion of the blade extending into the split of the tube, said clamping member having a handle extension and a tapered portion at its junction with the handle extension, means for holding the clamping member against movement away from the blade supporting member, and means for holding the clamping member against longitudinal shifting consisting of a strip extending longitudinally against the blade supporting member and having a tongue at its outer end for engaging ends of the two members and having its other end portion provided with side extensions for straddling the handle extension back of the tapered portion of the clamping member, one of the side extensions being projected forwardly to engage in the split tube.

TOWNSEND A. NICHOLS. 

